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Coroner Ian Arrow summarised the case to the jury, beginning by emphasising the role of the court, which was to determine the identity of the person involved and the circumstances of their death, adding how an inquest was “not a method of apportioning blame”.

He noted how the Mr Bryant was left in a seriously injured state when he arrived at Derriford Hospital, but sadly passed away despite the best efforts of all medical staff. The cause of death was determined at a post mortem as multiple injuries consisted with a fall from height.

Trystan and Marie Bryant

He noted how Mr Bryant’s wife, Marie, had told the jury her husband had been under the care of the community mental health team and was a very competent builder, stonemason builder, physically fit and interested in rock climbing.

Mr Arrow noted how Mr Bryant had left his home, initially claiming he was going to his garage, but at around 7.30pm he called his wife stating “I’ve gone”.

He then tried to contact his Community Mental Health Team worker but was told by Jacqueline Hawes, a community psychiatric nurse of Cornwall NHS Trust that the CMHT worker had gone home and as it was out of hours he would have to call back at 9am the next morning.

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The jury was reminded that Mr Bryant was also particularly concerned about his dog which was ill and was likely to be put down the following day.

He reminded them of the CCTV footage taken from a number of cameras on the bridge which showed Mr Bryant being brought down by a firefighter from the uppermost reaches of the bridge tower and placed into the hands of two police officers, Pc Steve Puckering and Pc Maxwell Ansell.

Trystan Bryant

He said Mr Bryant was detained by police under section 136 of the Mental Health Act for his own safety and of how CCTV footage showed the two officers each held an arm of Mr Bryant. It also showed him being approached by David Kay, a paramedic with South Western Ambulance Services’ Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), and on finding that Mr Bryant may have taken an overdose of diazepam tablets, it was decided to take him to Derriford Hospital for treatment.

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Mr Arrow told the jury they had heard a number of witness statements which showed how Mr Bryant was taken into the rear of the ambulance with paramedic David Kay, Emergency Care Assistant (ECA) Richard Crooks, Pc Puckering and Pc Ansell.

He reminded them there were discrepancies in the statements from the four men as to who stood where in the cramped confines of the ambulance and as to whether Mr Bryant was standing, sitting or lying on the stretcher.

Mr Arrow remarked how evidence from a senior paramedic revealed that under European safety legislation the rear doors of all ambulances could not be locked from the inside.

He recalled the evidence of Pc Ansell who said: “I had an honest belief he was not going to get up and bolt”.

During their deliberations today the jury requested a second viewing of CCTV footage from the bridge which showed Mr Bryant being place inside the ambulance via a side door and then one minute and 20 seconds later bursting out the rear door, swiftly leaping over two barrier fences in the middle of the roadway and over a higher ‘anti-climb’ fence at the far side of the bridge, with officers struggling over the same fences close behind him.

Trystan's wife described him as "amazing man and loving father"

Mr Arrow remarked how Mr Bryant was recognised as being “very athletic” and appeared to vault the fences.

He said despite attempts by police negotiators to encourage Mr Bryant back over the main fence, he later fell into the water below. He was recovered by the RNLI who brought him to shore where he received care and attention which resulted in him having a heartbeat recorded.

However, he later passed away at Derriford Hospital.

Mr Arrow said the jury had to choose between two possible conclusions - that of suicide or an open verdict.

The jury concluded that his death was a suicide.

The Samaritans can be reached round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need a response immediately, it’s best to call them on the phone. You can reach them by calling 116 123, by emailing jo@samaritans.org or by visiting www.samaritans.org.

Where to find help

These local organisations offer help and support to those suffering with mental illness

You might feel that you don't know how to help someone, because you don't know what to tell them or how to solve their problems.

You don’t need to be an expert. In fact, sometimes people who think they have the answers to a problem are less helpful. Don’t forget that every person is different, so that what worked for one will not always work for another.

Find a good time and place, think about where and when to have the conversation before you start.

You might feel that you don't know how to help someone, because you don't know what to tell them. But you shouldn't tell them anything. Telling doesn't help.

The best way to help is to ask questions. That way you leave the other person in control. By asking questions, the person you are talking with finds his or her own answers.

The more open the question the better, questions that help someone talk through their problems instead of saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ are the most useful.

Where you can get help

Samaritans

For everyone

Phone - 116 123 - 24 hours

Email - jo@samaritans.org

NHS

For everyone

Phone - 111 offers health advice in the UK and is free from landlines and mobiles, 24 hours a day

Phone - 0800 1111 - 24 hours - the number will not show up on a phone bill

The Silver Line

For older people

Phone - 0800 470 80 90

You can ask questions like:

When – 'When did you realise?'

Where – 'Where did that happen?'

What – 'What else happened?'

How – 'How did that feel?'

Why – be careful with this one as it can make someone defensive. ‘What made you choose that’ or ‘What were you thinking about at the time’ are more effective.

At Samaritans, we call this style of conversation active listening.

Find out how they feel

Don’t forget to ask how this person is feeling. Sometimes people will talk you through all the facts of what happened, why it happened and what actions they are thinking of taking, but never say how they actually feel.

Revealing your innermost emotions - anger, sadness, fear, hope, jealously, despair and so on – can be a huge relief. It sometimes also gives clues about what the person is really most worried about.

Check they know where to get help

If someone has been feeling low for some time it is probably a good idea that they get some support, whether it is through talking to someone like a counsellor or getting some practical help.

Useful questions you might ask them include:

‘Have you talked to anyone else about this?’

‘Would you like to get some help?’

‘Would you like me to come with you?’

Or, for someone who is reluctant to get help

Choose somewhere where the other person feels comfortable and has time to talk.

Ask gentle questions, and listen with care

‘Do you have someone you trust you can go to?’

‘If it helps, you can talk to me any time.’

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Look after yourself, and talk to someone too

Hearing someone else’s worries or problems can affect you too. Take time for yourself to do the things you enjoy, and if you need to talk, find somebody you trust to confide in.

Be careful not to make promises to people you may not be able to keep; this could relate to someone telling you they are experiencing abuse.

Don’t take on so much of other peoples’ problems that you yourself start feeling depressed.

What is depression?

Depression is a mental illness. According to the World Health Organisation, it's the leading cause of ill health and disability right now.

It's much more common than you might think too, and it's on the rise; more than 300 million people globally are now living with depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015.

As with other mental illnesses, depression is steeped in stigma: the stigma means that those of us who are struggling often find it difficult to reach out and get help.

They're too scared to talk about what's going on for them for fear of discrimination. Yet sometimes simply talking can be life-saving.

The stigma also means that people are often scared and disengaged with mental health problems, they think they've never interacted with someone who is struggling and that it will never happen to them.

The truth is, it affects us all. We interact with people with mental health difficulties every day – they're our families, our friends, and our colleagues.

The symptoms of depression

Depression is more than simply a low mood: it causes mental anguish, impacts on our ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, and can cause us to function poorly in work, education and socially.

At worst, depression can lead to suicide, now the second leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds.

The symptoms of depression develop gradually and affect different people in different ways. Some of the symptoms your friend/loved one might be struggling with are:

Low mood

Sadness

Guilt

No motivation

No hope

Anxiety

Feeling helpless

Loss in interest in things you usually enjoy

Change in appetite (over eating or no interest in food)

No energy

Irritability

Low self-esteem

Change in sleeping habits (over sleeping or not getting any sleep)

Low tolerance

Crying for no apparent reason

Indecisive

Avoiding contact with friends and family

Lack of interest in sex

Finding difficulties at work

Suicidal thoughts

Thoughts of harming themselves

12 myths about depression

1. Depression is a choice

Commonly presented as: "You can't just cry when I feel like it, you have to learn to control it"

"You have a choice, just choose to be happy" "Just don't be depressed? It's not that hard?"

Fact: Depression is not a choice. It is a real illness with real symptoms. We don't want to be depressed, and are unable to choose to be happy (as much as we might wish we could!).

2. There is a reason why someone is depressed

Commonly presented as: "Why are you depressed?"

"You've got a roof over your head and a loving family and great friends, you have nothing to be depressed about."

Fact: There is no 'one' single known cause for depression. It is thought that stressful life events, family history, personality, loneliness, alcohol or drug use, and illness could all contribute to it; often it will be a combination of factors.

We may not know exactly what has caused our illness – it's something that can take a lot of hard work and support to figure out and work through.

4. Your fashion choices dictate whether of not you can be depressed

"You look like you're out of a fashion magazine so you must be doing well."

"You present yourself very well for someone who claims to be depressed."

Fact: People with depression wear all sorts of different clothes. Just like the rest of the population, we will sometimes have pyjama days, sometimes live in jeans, and sometimes dress up to go out for the evening. Our illness doesn't dictate the clothes we are allowed to wear, and the clothes we wear don't show how ill we are.

5. It's immediately obvious when someone has depression

Fact: People with depression look just like anyone else. We don't have a special "look" or way of acting. We can smile, laugh, wear make-up, use public transport, do a weekly food shop – we present just as people without depression do.

6. Medication is a magic fix, or shouldn't be used at all

Commonly presented as: " You're taking pills so you should be fine now."

"You are hooked on antidepressants, why don't you come off them"

"Medication doesn't work at all"

Fact: Medication is a tool that can be used to help manage depression. For some of us it's helpful, for others it isn't. Often we will need some form of talking therapy alongside our medication.

Some of us might choose not to take medication at all and prefer alternative treatments, but the choice of whether to take medication should be down to the individual, and nobody should be shamed for their decision.

7. Fresh air and exercise cure depression

Commonly presented as: "Get some exercise; go for a walk, it will clear your head."

"How can you be depressed on such a beautiful day?"

Fact: Nature can help when we have depression. So can exercise. However neither are a magic cure, and everyone is unique, so something that might really help one person, might not help another at all.

8. There is a simple "fix"

Commonly presented as: "It's because you're not busy enough!

'"Drink lemon water"

"Have you tried baking a cake?"

Fact: As much as baking a cake is a lovely idea, and might be a nice way to spend an afternoon, it's unlikely to cure depression.

There are many things that could help depression, such as talking therapies, medication, or time, but there is no magic cure and different people will need different treatments at different levels.

9. A relationship will cure depression, so will being single

Commonly presented as: "You need a get a boyfriend, that'll make you happy."

"You're engaged, you should be happy."

"You're single you have no husband, kids and mortgage to worry about."

Fact: People in relationships can be incredibly supportive of one another, which could help with alleviating certain depressive symptoms, but depression doesn't only affect single people, or only target people in relationships.